When the people of the Emerald
City heard that Dorothy had returned
to them every one was eager to
see her, for the little girl
was a general favorite in the
Land of Oz. From time to time
some of the folk from the great
outside world had found their
way into this fairyland, but
all except one had been companions
of Dorothy and had turned out
to be very agreeable people.
The exception I speak of was
the wonderful Wizard of Oz, a
sleight-of-hand performer from
Omaha who went up in a balloon
and was carried by a current
of air to the Emerald City. His
queer and puzzling tricks made
the people of Oz believe him
a great wizard for a time, and
he ruled over them until Dorothy
arrived on her first visit and
showed the Wizard to be a mere
humbug. He was a gentle, kind-hearted
little man, and Dorothy grew
to like him afterward. When,
after an absence, the Wizard
returned to the Land of Oz, Ozma
received him graciously and gave
him a home in a part of the palace.
In addition to the Wizard two
other personages from the outside
world had been allowed to make
their home in the Emerald City.
The first was a quaint Shaggy
Man, whom Ozma had made the Governor
of the Royal Storehouses, and
the second a Yellow Hen named
Billina, who had a fine house
in the gardens back of the palace,
where she looked after a large
family. Both these had been old
comrades of Dorothy, so you see
the little girl was quite an
important personage in Oz, and
the people thought she had brought
them good luck, and loved her
next best to Ozma. During her
several visits this little girl
had been the means of destroying
two wicked witches who oppressed
the people, and she had discovered
a live scarecrow who was now
one of the most popular personages
in all the fairy country. With
the Scarecrow's help she had
rescued Nick Chopper, a Tin Woodman,
who had rusted in a lonely forest,
and the tin man was now the Emperor
of the Country of the Winkies
and much beloved because of his
kind heart. No wonder the people
thought Dorothy had brought them
good luck! Yet, strange as it
may seem, she had accomplished
all these wonders not because
she was a fairy or had any magical
powers whatever, but because
she was a simple, sweet and true
little girl who was honest to
herself and to all whom she met.
In this world in which we live
simplicity and kindness are the
only magic wands that work wonders,
and in the Land of Oz Dorothy
found these same qualities had
won for her the love and admiration
of the people. Indeed, the little
girl had made many warm friends
in the fairy country, and the
only real grief the Ozites had
ever experienced was when Dorothy
left them and returned to her
Kansas home.
Now she received a joyful welcome,
although no one except Ozma knew
at first that she had finally
come to stay for good and all.
That evening Dorothy had many
callers, and among them were
such important people as Tiktok,
a machine man who thought and
spoke and moved by clockwork;
her old companion the genial
Shaggy Man; Jack Pumpkinhead,
whose body was brush-wood and
whose head was a ripe pumpkin
with a face carved upon it; the
Cowardly Lion and the Hungry
Tiger, two great beasts from
the forest, who served Princess
Ozma, and Professor H. M. Wogglebug,
T.E. This wogglebug was a remarkable
creature. He had once been a
tiny little bug, crawling around
in a school-room, but he was
discovered and highly magnified
so that he could be seen more
plainly, and while in this magnified
condition he had escaped. He
had always remained big, and
he dressed like a dandy and was
so full of knowledge and information
(which are distinct acquirements)
that he had been made a Professor
and the head of the Royal College.
Dorothy had a nice visit with
these old friends, and also talked
a long time with the Wizard,
who was little and old and withered
and dried up, but as merry and
active as a child. Afterward,
she went to see Billina's fast-growing
family of chicks.
Toto, Dorothy's little black
dog, also met with a cordial
reception. Toto was an especial
friend of the Shaggy Man, and
he knew every one else. Being
the only dog in the Land of Oz,
he was highly respected by the
people, who believed animals
entitled to every consideration
if they behaved themselves properly.
Dorothy had
four lovely rooms in the palace,
which were always
reserved for her use and were
called "Dorothy's rooms." These
consisted of a beautiful sitting
room, a dressing room, a dainty
bedchamber and a big marble bathroom.
And in these rooms were everything
that heart could desire, placed
there with loving thoughtfulness
by Ozma for her little friend's
use. The royal dressmakers had
the little girl's measure, so
they kept the closets in her
dressing room filled with lovely
dresses of every description
and suitable for every occasion.
No wonder Dorothy had refrained
from bringing with her her old
calico and gingham dresses! Here
everything that was dear to a
little girl's heart was supplied
in profusion, and nothing so
rich and beautiful could ever
have been found in the biggest
department stores in America.
Of course Dorothy enjoyed all
these luxuries, and the only
reason she had heretofore preferred
to live in Kansas was because
her uncle and aunt loved her
and needed her with them.
Now, however, all was to be
changed, and Dorothy was really
more delighted to know that her
dear relatives were to share
in her good fortune and enjoy
the delights of the Land of Oz,
than she was to possess such
luxury for herself.
Next morning,
at Ozma's request, Dorothy
dressed herself in a
pretty sky-blue gown of rich
silk, trimmed with real pearls.
The buckles of her shoes were
set with pearls, too, and more
of these priceless gems were
on a lovely coronet which she
wore upon her forehead. "For," said
her friend Ozma, "from this time
forth, my dear, you must assume
your rightful rank as a Princess
of Oz, and being my chosen companion
you must dress in a way befitting
the dignity of your position."
Dorothy agreed to this, although
she knew that neither gowns nor
jewels could make her anything
else than the simple, unaffected
little girl she had always been.
As soon as they had breakfasted--the
girls eating together in Ozma's
pretty boudoir--the Ruler of
Oz said:
"Now, dear
friend, we will use the Magic
Belt to transport
your uncle and aunt from Kansas
to the Emerald City. But I think
it would be fitting, in receiving
such distinguished guests, for
us to sit in my Throne Room."
"Oh, they're not very 'stinguished,
Ozma," said Dorothy. "They're
just plain people, like me."
"Being your friends and relatives,
Princess Dorothy, they are certainly
distinguished," replied the Ruler,
with a smile.
"They--they won't hardly know
what to make of all your splendid
furniture and things," protested
Dorothy, gravely. "It may scare
'em to see your grand Throne
Room, an' p'raps we'd better
go into the back yard, Ozma,
where the cabbages grow an' the
chickens are playing. Then it
would seem more natural to Uncle
Henry and Aunt Em."
"No; they shall first see me
in my Throne Room," replied Ozma,
decidedly; and when she spoke
in that tone Dorothy knew it
was not wise to oppose her, for
Ozma was accustomed to having
her own way.
So together they went to the
Throne Room, an immense domed
chamber in the center of the
palace. Here stood the royal
throne, made of solid gold and
encrusted with enough precious
stones to stock a dozen jewelry
stores in our country.
Ozma, who was wearing the Magic
Belt, seated herself in the throne,
and Dorothy sat at her feet.
In the room were assembled many
ladies and gentlemen of the court,
clothed in rich apparel and wearing
fine jewelry. Two immense animals
squatted, one on each side of
the throne--the Cowardly Lion
and the Hungry Tiger. In a balcony
high up in the dome an orchestra
played sweet music, and beneath
the dome two electric fountains
sent sprays of colored perfumed
water shooting up nearly as high
as the arched ceiling.
"Are you ready, Dorothy?" asked
the Ruler.
"I am," replied Dorothy; "but
I don't know whether Aunt Em
and Uncle Henry are ready."
"That won't matter," declared
Ozma. "The old life can have
very little to interest them,
and the sooner they begin the
new life here the happier they
will be. Here they come, my dear!"
As she spoke, there before
the throne appeared Uncle Henry
and Aunt Em, who for a moment
stood motionless, glaring with
white and startled faces at the
scene that confronted them. If
the ladies and gentlemen present
had not been so polite I am sure
they would have laughed at the
two strangers.
Aunt Em had
her calico dress skirt "tucked up," and
she wore a faded, blue-checked
apron.
Her hair was rather straggly
and she had on a pair of Uncle
Henry's old slippers. In one
hand she held a dish-towel and
in the other a cracked earthenware
plate, which she had been engaged
in wiping when so suddenly transported
to the Land of Oz.
Uncle Henry,
when the summons came, had
been out in the barn "doin'
chores." He wore a ragged and
much soiled straw hat, a checked
shirt without any collar and
blue overalls tucked into the
tops of his old cowhide boots.
"By gum!" gasped
Uncle Henry, looking around
as if bewildered.
"Well, I swan!" gurgled Aunt
Em in a hoarse, frightened voice.
Then her eyes fell upon Dorothy,
and she said: "D-d-d-don't that
look like our little girl--our
Dorothy, Henry?"
"Hi, there--look out, Em!" exclaimed
the old man, as Aunt Em advanced
a step; "take care o' the wild
beastses, or you're a goner!"
But now Dorothy sprang forward
and embraced and kissed her aunt
and uncle affectionately, afterward
taking their hands in her own.
"Don't be afraid," she said
to them. "You are now in the
Land of Oz, where you are to
live always, and be comfer'ble
an' happy. You'll never have
to worry over anything again,
'cause there won't be anything
to worry about. And you owe it
all to the kindness of my friend
Princess Ozma."
Here she led them before the
throne and continued:
"Your Highness,
this is Uncle Henry. And this
is Aunt Em. They
want to thank you for bringing
them here from Kansas."
Aunt Em tried
to "slick" her
hair, and she hid the dish-towel
and dish under her apron while
she bowed to the lovely Ozma.
Uncle Henry took off his straw
hat and held it awkwardly in
his hands.
But the Ruler of Oz rose and
came from her throne to greet
her newly arrived guests, and
she smiled as sweetly upon them
as if they had been a king and
queen.
"You are very welcome here,
where I have brought you for
Princess Dorothy's sake," she
said, graciously, "and I hope
you will be quite happy in your
new home." Then she turned to
her courtiers, who were silently
and gravely regarding the scene,
and added: "I present to my people
our Princess Dorothy's beloved
Uncle Henry and Aunt Em, who
will hereafter be subjects of
our kingdom. It will please me
to have you show them every kindness
and honor in your power, and
to join me in making them happy
and contented."
Hearing this, all those assembled
bowed low and respectfully to
the old farmer and his wife,
who bobbed their own heads in
return.
"And now," said Ozma to them, "Dorothy
will show you the rooms prepared
for you. I hope you will like
them, and shall expect you to
join me at luncheon."
So Dorothy led her relatives
away, and as soon as they were
out of the Throne Room and alone
in the corridor, Aunt Em squeezed
Dorothy's hand and said:
"Child, child!
How in the world did we ever
get here so quick?
And is it all real? And are we
to stay here, as she says? And
what does it all mean, anyhow?"
Dorothy laughed.
"Why didn't you tell us what
you were goin' to do?" inquired
Uncle Henry, reproachfully. "If
I'd known about it, I'd 'a put
on my Sunday clothes."
"I'll 'splain ever'thing as
soon as we get to your rooms," promised
Dorothy. "You're in great luck,
Uncle Henry and Aunt Em; an'
so am I! And oh! I'm so happy
to have got you here, at last!"
As he walked
by the little girl's side,
Uncle Henry stroked
his whiskers thoughtfully. "'Pears
to me, Dorothy, we won't make
bang-up fairies," he remarked.
"An' my back hair looks like
a fright!" wailed Aunt Em.
"Never mind," returned the
little girl, reassuringly. "You
won't have anything to do now
but to look pretty, Aunt Em;
an' Uncle Henry won't have to
work till his back aches, that's
certain."
"Sure?" they
asked, wonderingly, and in
the same breath.
"Course I'm sure," said Dorothy. "You're
in the Fairyland of Oz, now;
an' what's more, you belong to
it!"
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